


Questioning

by CosmicMind



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: 3x18, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Canon Disabled Character, Closure, Jim and ivy are mentioned but uhhhh that's it, M/M, i'm tired n that episode was really good
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-19
Updated: 2017-05-19
Packaged: 2018-11-02 10:49:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10942965
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CosmicMind/pseuds/CosmicMind
Summary: Ed has so many questions after finding out that Oswald is alive, yet can't say what he really wants to say.(Set after the ending scene of 3x18)





	Questioning

**Author's Note:**

> Ok this is based off of some lovely fanart from my friend Lucia [which you can see here bc she's so talented tbh](https://heartpoisedfanarts.tumblr.com/post/160766465914/oswald-youre-alive) and also I have a lot of feelings about 3x18 and this ship in general ahhhhhh
> 
> Also I wrote this in one sitting so if there's some errors I'm sorry ;v;

Oswald had not said a word since he saw Ed again, and although Ed was thinking of a million questions to ask him, for once he was speechless. How did Oswald survive? Who saved him? How did he get tangled up in the Court? Did he forgive Ed? So many questions that may not be answered for quite some time.

 

All he did know is that this was no hallucination. This was Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot in the flesh, living and livid. But this was not the Oswald Ed knew. Oswald was a passionate and enjoyed talking, especially when he needed to voice his displeasures, never leaving anyone in the dark about his state of mind. He was fearless and had a tight hold on Gotham’s underworld, despite his seemingly harmless stature. He looked up to Ed with adoration, and know that he knew it was out of love, Ed remembered more about those warm eyes and tight hugs. Perhaps the Oswald he once knew never left the river, and was replaced by this monster that craved tearing Ed’s throat out.

 

After the initial grab and that blood-thirsty look in Oswald’s green eyes, Oswald had chose to sit down with his back to Ed. His breathing was heavy with rage at first, but had quieted down now to the point where Ed couldn’t even hear it. 

 

It was impossible to understand what he could be thinking, not with this heavy silence. One of the bigger questions was if he even still loved Ed, or did the hole in his stomach also break his heart? Ed still was unsure if he loved Oswald back. Perhaps he did, but perhaps he’d never really know.

 

Ed had sat with his back to Oswald as well, with his legs crossed as he looked up at the dim fluorescent lights in the ceiling through the cage. In a perfect world, Ed would think of something clever or heartfelt to say to Oswald to at least get him talking again. But this was Gotham. Everything was so messed up that guys with stapled faces run evil carnivals and chief of staffs shoot mayors. He had nothing.

 

Looking around the room, there were no windows either. It was impossible to know what the outside world was like, if it had gone up in flames already or if it was sunny in Gotham for once. How long had Ed been there anyways? Ed couldn’t count the hours, as there were no clocks or ways to indicate days, but he was given rations that tasted like sandpaper some time ago, so maybe a day had passed. It wouldn’t matter, as he was so mentally exhausted that his sleep pattern was probably completely screwed up.

 

Ed decided to just continue sitting in silence, meditating on his situation and his feelings about Oswald’s sudden reappearance. He was so engrossed in thought that he jumped when the first sound in a long time was heard.

 

“Need my medication… hurts a lot.”

 

Ed glanced over his shoulder and looked at Oswald, who was rubbing his bad leg in small circles over his thigh. Sometimes Ed forgot about Oswald’s chronic pain from his badly healed leg, yet he remembered when he used to occasionally remind Oswald to take it before leaving the house.  _ “Ah, you’re always on top of things, Ed. Who knows where I’d be without you?”  _ Oswald would say, and Ed would respond with something about his job and how he had to be punctual. Oswald would always laugh at that.

 

It was unclear if that sentiment was directed at Ed or not, but there was no harm in responding- they had all the time in the world, and there was no one there but the two of them.

 

“Have you had any recently?” Ed asked stiffly. Oswald went silent for a while, as if he was mentally debating whether to even interact with Ed- or trying to control his rage. Probably both.

 

“Yes, after I went back to the mansion,” Oswald answered, “I’m surprised you didn’t throw them out to get rid of all of me. Like how you defaced my painting.”

 

“I considered it, but I… forgot to. I had other business to attend to.”

 

Oswald snorted sarcastically. “The infamous genius Edward Nygma  _ forgetting _ something? That’s rich!”

 

Everything was quiet again for some time, as Ed couldn’t think of a proper rebuttal for that one.

 

“How did you find the Court?” Ed said to change the subject.

 

“Jim got me a connection to it,” Oswald replied, “I almost got infected with that blood virus to get to you; I wanted to be the one to kill you, and not some mysterious Court.” 

 

Ed hated when Oswald talked about Jim. Jim would gladly take both of them down for the sake of “justice” if he had the chance, and was just a nuisance to Ed’s goals. He knew Oswald and Jim once had a friends with benefits thing going on, but Ed was sure Oswald didn’t crush on him anymore. He didn’t kill Jim’s girlfriend out of love and- wait, was Ed getting jealous?

 

“I must be pretty special, then,” Ed remarked.

 

There was a quiet period again.

 

“Did you kill Olga?” Oswald eventually said in a low voice.

 

“No,” Ed replied with a shake of his head, “I dismissed her after the first week you were gone. She… she missed you.”

 

_ ‘No,  _ **_you_ ** _ missed him, you moron,’  _ a dark voice chastised in Ed’s mind.

 

“Hmph. I missed her too. Perhaps if I get out of this in one piece I’ll rehire her. The place was so dusty when I returned. The food in the fridge was mostly spoiled as well. Ivy picked some up, though.”

 

“Ivy?”

 

“She saved me. I picked up  _ better _ company when you were parading around as 'the Riddler.' If I were around I would’ve chosen a much better name for you.”

 

“Like who? Your old lackeys?”

 

“No, Gabe turned out to be a backstabbing snake. We made him into a lovely new fertilizer.” Oswald gave himself a nasally chuckle. “Reminds me of someone else I know who was dear to me and betrayed me.”

 

“You killed Isabella,” Ed snapped, his agitation rising and he remembered partially why he killed Oswald in the first place, “There was no excuse. You had to pay.”

 

“Ugh, you’re still upset over that succubus in a librarian’s uniform? She wouldn't have been worth the time of day if she didn’t look like  _ her. _ ”

 

Now Ed had turned around and realized for the first time in a while he looked Oswald directly in the eyes as the other was looking over his shoulder.

 

“I could have had a normal life!” Ed roared.

 

“She was dangerous to be around!” Oswald retorted harshly, “You think you would have ever led a happy life with the type of person you- the type of people  _ we _ \- are?”

 

“Yes!”

 

“Well I wanted a happy life too, but now I guess neither of us will have it, _will we_?”

 

Both were turned around and staring directly at each other. Ed backed off from continuing the circular argument, as it was one the had before in much different circumstances. Oswald shifted back around to not face Ed again and folded his arms, his heavy breathing returning to bottle his rage.

 

Sure, Ed felt that heated rage too. Yet not like he did when he ruined Oswald’s life then shoved him in the icy water. This rage was more momentary, but was quickly swallowed by his overarching concoction of regret, pain, and relief that he had been feeling for a long time now. He just wanted to get some kind of closure before the Court did what they planned for the two criminals. He couldn’t even think of a good riddle.

 

Impulsive actions weren’t something Edward Nygma was known for. They were unpredictable, and often dangerous- not worth the hassle. Ed was a man of calculating every move he made, making sure he had the clearest path to his goal. If there was a will, there was a way, a moral that Ed held high, and one that Oswald certainly held too. Out of the thousands of carefully thought-out actions Ed could have taken, he chose one of the most impulsive actions that had no clear consequence and many potential risks in a second.

 

As best as he could, he turned around, reached through the bars, and wrapped his arms around Oswald in a sincere, awkward hug. Oswald froze in response, unable formulate a correct response to this alien action, yet Ed could feel his heart beginning to race. Ed looked downwards and pressed his face to the cold bars to simulate resting his head on Oswald’s shoulder as he fought back tears.

 

“I missed you, Oswald.”

**Author's Note:**

> I reblog a lot of gotham n talk about it on [my blog](thegarbagechan.tumblr.com) if you wanna see what I gotta say I guess


End file.
